Methods and apparatus for classifying an audience in a content distribution network

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for identifying, distributing, and/or utilizing data regarding audience qualities within an advertisement management system. In one embodiment, the methods and apparatus of the present invention provide a technique for classifying data collected about an audience, and creating and grouping qualifiers to those classifications. Methods and apparatus for managing an advertising inventory via a management system, and using the aforementioned audience data, are also disclosed. The inventory is defined in one variant by predicted secondary content insertion opportunities and a particular audience of the primary content associated with the insertion opportunity. Subscriber privacy and anonymity is also optionally maintained via e.g., hashing or encrypting data relating to the CPE and/or subscriber, thus ensuring that audience data is not traceable to a specific user account.

1 - 35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of creating and maintaining an advertisement campaign, said method comprising:
 developing one or more descriptive data files for each of a plurality of advertisements, each of said plurality of advertisements being associated with a single advertiser, said descriptive data files indicating: (i) one or more characteristics of a target audience thereof, and (ii) a relative importance of each of said one or more characteristics;   creating one or more policies for presentation of each of said plurality of advertisements, said one or more policies based at least in part on a delivery platform for said presentation thereof, and a level of service associated to said advertiser;   utilizing said descriptive data files and said one or more policies to estimate a rate of placement of said individual ones of said plurality of advertisements with respect to a predetermined set of upcoming placement opportunities;   generating a plurality of records documenting instances of a placement of each of said plurality of advertisements; and   utilizing said plurality of records to determine whether placement of each of said plurality of advertisements meets a predetermined criterion.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein when said predetermined criterion is not met, modifying said relative importance of individual ones of each of said one or more characteristics, and/or modifying one or more of said policies. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , further comprising utilizing said plurality of records determine an amount of monetary compensation to be charged to said advertiser. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said level of service is based at least in part on a subscription level of said advertiser. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein said instances of placement of each of said plurality of advertisements is based at least in part on configuration requirements of each of said plurality of advertisements. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus configured to manage a plurality of secondary content, said apparatus comprising:
 a data interface configured to receive a plurality of descriptive data regarding a plurality of secondary content;   an user interface configured to enable a user to establish one or more rules for selection of individual ones of said plurality of secondary content; and   a processor configured to run at least one computer program, said at least one computer program comprising a plurality of instructions which are configured to, when executed:
 determine, based at least in part on said plurality of descriptive data and said one or more rules, a likelihood of an occurrence of opportunities for placement of secondary content for which individual ones of said plurality of secondary content may be selected; and 
 when said occurrence occurs outside of a predetermined range, adjust said plurality of descriptive data and/or said one or more rules. 
   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said plurality of instructions are further configured to, when executed, determine one or more aspects of a system configuration necessary for presentation of each of said plurality of secondary content. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein said one or more aspects of said system configuration are further utilized to determine said occurrence of opportunities for placement of said secondary content for which said individual ones of said plurality of secondary content may be selected. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein said determination of said one or more aspects of said system configuration necessary for presentation of each of said plurality of secondary content comprises: (i) determination of a type of said secondary content, and (ii) determination of whether said type of said secondary content is acceptable for use with a delivery platform selected for delivery of a primary content into which said secondary content is to be inserted. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , further comprising an interface configured to provide an estimate of said occurrence to a secondary content provider associated with said plurality of secondary content. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , further comprising an interface configured to at least receive information regarding an audience of upcoming ones of said opportunities for placement of said secondary content, said information being used by said computer program to determine said occurrence. 
     
     
         47 . A method of implementing an advertising campaign, said method comprising:
 receiving a first information regarding one or more parameters of said campaign;   receiving a second information regarding one or more placement opportunities for advertisements;   receiving a third information regarding an audience associated with said one or more placement opportunities for said advertisements; and   selecting one or more advertisements that: (i) correspond to said audience; (ii) are compatible with said placement opportunity; and (iii) are consistent with said one or more parameters.   
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said act of receiving said second information regarding said one or more placement opportunities and said act of receiving said third information regarding said audience comprises receiving an advertising inventory data structure having both said second information and said third information contained therein. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said act of selecting said one or more advertisements that correspond to said audience comprises selecting said one or more advertisements whose target audience has at least a first level of similarity to said audience associated with said one or more placement opportunities. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said act of selecting said one or more advertisements that are compatible with said placement opportunity comprises selecting said one or more advertisements that are able to fit into a time slot associated with said placement opportunity, and that are compatible with a delivery platform associated with said placement opportunity. 
     
     
         51 . A method for managing a plurality of secondary content, said method comprising:
 obtaining data regarding a plurality of secondary content;   determining whether said plurality of secondary content is compatible with a system configuration based at least in part on said data;   establishing one or more rules for selection of individual ones of said plurality of secondary content;   estimating a frequency of selection of said individual ones of said plurality of secondary content based at least in part on said rules; and   providing said estimate of said frequency to a secondary content provider associated with each of said individual ones of said plurality of secondary content.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said data regarding said plurality of secondary content comprises information regarding one or more characteristics of a target audience thereof. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 52 , wherein each of said plurality of secondary content is associated with one or more descriptive data files, said one or more descriptive data files comprising said data regarding each of said plurality of secondary content. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said act of determining comprises determining when said secondary content is compatible based at least in part on a geographic location of a recipient thereof. 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said act of determining comprises determining a type of secondary content to be presented based at least in part on an intended delivery platform. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said one or more rules for selection comprise MSO established rules, and wherein a set of rules are applied to more than one of said plurality of secondary content, said more than one of said plurality of secondary content comprising secondary content relating to a same advertiser. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising presenting a selected one of said plurality of secondary content to one or more users of a network. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , further comprising generating a record relating to said presentation of said individual ones of said plurality of secondary content. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein said act of estimating a frequency of selection is based at least in part on: (i) said data regarding said plurality of secondary content, (ii) data regarding an audience of at least one upcoming insertion opportunity, and/or (iii) said one or more rules. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 51 , further comprising, when said frequency of selection is determined to be insufficient, making one or more adjustments to said data regarding said secondary content or said one or more rules. 
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 61 , wherein said one or more adjustments to said data regarding said secondary content comprises adjusting a weight or variance associated with individual ones of a plurality of characteristics of a target audience of said secondary content.